Dear Parents,
What a fantastic book week it has been!
Monday
Our Book Week assembly was run by Mrs Haymes, ably supported by the Year 6 Library Assistants who designed and wrote their own Power Point presentation and gave up their lunchtimes (and clubs) to practice. On the day, they demonstrated teamwork, and resilience when covering some of the girls that unfortunately couldn't make it into school. The girls brought in their own props to promote their favourite books and even though some of the girls were very nervous, they all did a fantastic job!
Tuesday
The girls had lots of fun with Iszi Lawrence, the historian, broadcaster and author. Focusing on developing a plot and characters, each class had their own tailored workshop based on their current history topics. The girls let their historical knowledge and imagination run wild and Year 4 had a great time putting their magical ideas into Iszi's time machine.
Wednesday
The Prep Library has been busy all week with girls taking part in quizzes and fun activities - the 'name the book title and author' competition has been very popular - prizes to be given out on Monday.
Thursday
Every parents’ worst nightmare – Dress Up Day! But wow, you and your daughters outdid yourselves this year. We were treated to an early assembly catwalk of characters from a whole host of books. I have to mention Sophie Card with the largest-worn, homemade wolf outfit! Later that morning, the girls were treated to an inspiring show of live poetry from Michael Rosen, the legendary poet, author and Children's Laureate (2007-2009). Michael performed via a live link and talked about the importance and joy of poetry as well as providing tips on writing your own verse.
Friday (today)
West End in Schools conducted fantastic dance workshops throughout the day with each individual class working to create their part of the final performance of Alice in Wonderland. What a final performance it was and an excellent culmination to the week.
Huge thanks go to the girls, our Year 6 librarians, our staff and yourselves for making the week so special, memorable and fun. But I would be remiss if I did not give special thanks to Mrs Haymes for organising the whole week – it was incredible – thank you so much!
To end, some quotes from Michael Rosen:
“Don't let anyone else write your story. You are the author of your own life.”
“We are all connected through our stories, and those stories have the power to unite us.”
“Creativity is not limited by age or circumstance; it is a limitless reservoir within us all.”
“Imagination is the key to unlocking a world of possibilities.”
“Books are our greatest companions, taking us on adventures without ever leaving our seats.”
Have a great weekend,
Gareth Tindall
Prep School Spring Concert, Thursday 13th March
Mr Tindall and Mrs Harris would like to invite Prep School Parents to our Spring Concert in the Mairlot Hall on Thursday 13th March 2025 at 6.30pm Refreshments will be served from 6.00pm
Golden Book
Well done to all of the girls in our Golden Books this week:
4 KC Hollie G for writing a fabulous biography about Michael Morpurgo during Book Week and for following the success criteria carefully and including a title, subheadings and many interesting facts about the author. Well done, Hollie!
Zoe G for showing great enthusiasm and perseverance in Maths this week when she was working on fractions including integers, mixed numbers as well as proper and improper fractions. Great work, Zoe! Kitty N for showing a tremendous improvement in her TTRS Gig result this week highlighting her commitment to learning her times tables both at home and at school. Well done, Kitty!
4 LH Florence D for the amazing pan pipes she made in Science this week as we explored pitch and volume. She was determined to make a sound using them and she did!
Florence H for your wonderful biography detailing the life and achievements of Michael Morpurgo. have certainly enjoyed his books in class and it was great to find out more about him.
5 AB Rosie M for her excellent character description of Henry VIII.
Layla B for her enthusiastic participation during Iszi Lawrence's book week session.
Jemima H for her focus and effort in our playscript lesson, working hard to think of interesting words and to include actions and stage management.
Isla S for her focus and effort in our playscript lesson, working hard to think of interesting words and to include actions and stage management.
5 KH Ania S for her imaginative 'book scene' created at home as part of our Book Week challenges.
Rosalind D for her excellent book choices and detailed and reflective comments in her Reading Record. Sofia A for her contributions during the visiting author workshop with Iszi Lawrence, they were absolutely brilliant.
6 SG Eva M for her enthusiasm towards World Book Week. Eva very much enjoyed the World Book Day rap and her positivity was contagious!
Liberty B for her perseverance and commitment to Maths. Liberty grasped percentages really well and worked hard, even when it got a bit tricky!
Issy M for her fantastic research on our visiting author, Iszi Lawrence. Issy created a wonderful and informative Power Point.
6 MKLolita DDO for showing great resilience in returning to school with a positive attitude and a smile on her face this week after a medical operation last week. Lovely to see!
Imogen S for spreading happiness and joy in our class with her great sense of humour and cheerful disposition. You really do make me smile, Immy!
Eleanor B for her wonderful and engaging narrative story about a night during The Blitz, including all the features discussed.
Art Stars
Year 4 Scarlett S for taking care to build a sturdy and accurate structure of a person holding a spear, based on the Bayeaux Tapestry using wire and bandages.
Year 5 Ivy M for good start to constructing her chair and problem solving how to make a tall structure sturdy.
Year 6 Natalia T and Penny C for their perseverance to draw using careful nuance of shade and tone.
Drama Stars
Year 4
Ava B for amazing use of facial expressions during our work on the story of the 'Wind and the Sun'.
Year 6 Eliza P for her enthusiasm and positivity in both Drama lessons and Drama Club.
Key Dates 2025
As outlined in the Parent Handbook, and reiterated at the Parent Welcome Reception, there are three key dates in the school calendar that are compulsory for all the girls to attend. This is to help them understand the importance of team work and collaborative responsibility as these are events where they are all involved and need to support each other.
These remaining two dates are as follows: Spring Concert, Thursday 13th March, 18.30 to 19.30 Prep School Prize Giving, Thursday 3rd July, 19.00 to 20.00
We would be grateful if you could keep these dates free so that all girls can be present at these important community events.
FOST DATES
Sunday 9th March - Year 9 Air hop for St Teresa's and Cranmore
(Please contact FOST for more details)
Thurs 27th March - Easter Egg Hunt for Years 4, 5, 6 and Year 7
Fri 16th May - FOST Summer Festival planning meeting – All/any help welcome
Mars Day 2025
Year 4 joined Tim Peake in a Questions and Answer session as part of Mars Day 25 discussing the imminent space mission and found out about all his experiences in space from his time there in 2015. Mrs Hall even added a Do you think humans will ever live on another planet?
Year 5 Tudor Topic
As part of their topic on The Tudors, Year 5 researched the different foods and meals they ate back in the 1500's and tested out some Tudor recipes. We were very impressed by their cooking skills!
Book Week
To celebrate World Book Day, children around the world dressed up as their favourite book characters, and St Teresa’s was no exception. We had some fantastic costumes and were very pleased to see so many homemade costumes – what a great way to get involved at home! Thank you to everyone who participated, including staff who went the extra mile with their costumes.
AB 5 KH
Prep Sport News
U10 Netball Tournament St Georges
The U10 netball team participated in a tournament this weekend, and while the final results saw them lose all their matches, their performance on the court was full of heart and teamwork. Throughout the tournament, the team showed incredible spirit and determination. Despite facing some tough competition, the players worked together as a cohesive unit, supporting each other both on and off the court. Though the final results weren't in their favor, the U10 team left the tournament with a sense of pride in how they played together. The tournament was a fantastic learning experience and has given us many things we can continue to work on during lessons and club. Well done to all the girls involved!
U11 Netball vs St George’s
On Tuesday the U11A team travelled to St George's for a netball match. Unfortunately, St Georges were a strong defensively and the St Ts team found it difficult to get the ball to the shooters. The team lost 13-0 but showed such grit and determination throughout. Special mention to Penny for her exceptional work rate and for being awarded player of the match.
U11B On Tuesday the U11B team took on St George's. The St Ts team were determined and were making fast powerful passes through the mid court. Unfortunately, St George's had strong defence in the shooting circle and the final score was 7-2 in their favour. Well done to Summer for being selected as player of the match. The D team faced a challenging start against St George’s on Tuesday, with the opposition taking an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the girls showed incredible resilience, battling through the rest of the game with outstanding defending from Eve and Harlow. Their determination limited St George’s to just one more goal, ending the match 6-0.A huge well done to all the girls for their fantastic team spirit! Player of the Match was awarded to Harlow for her tireless defending in the D. Great effort, team!
The U11E team took on St George's this week. The game got off to cracking start with Lolita D scoring two goals. Sybella J worked tirelessly at centre court continuously feeding the shooters. Alexa H managed to take one of her opportunities. Heading into the final segment the team were behind but spirits high. Sybella J managed to finish one of her opportunities rounding off a good performance but an unfortunately result losing 10 4. Sybella J thanks to her efforts all over the court was voted player of the match, well done!
U11 Hockey Tournament @ Royal Russell
On a very foggy Saturday morning, the U11A team travelled to Croydon for the Royal Russell hockey tournament. The team were in high spirits and were excited to get started. Our first match against Royal Russell started a bit slow and unfortunately, they managed to pounce on a loose ball and go 1-0 up. The following 9 minutes was a barrage of attacks, with Eva and Jena creating some great chances to score. Sadly, we were unable to take our chances and we lost our first game. The second game against JAGS included a masterclass of deep defence. Poppy in goal deservedly received player of the match, and Eliza, Penny and Apple were brilliant in defence. We held out for a 0 0 draw against this side. Our last group game was against another very strong side in St Thomas'. Whilst we still had 3 or 4 very good opportunities to score, we could not put the ball in the back of the net and we lost 4 0. The fog then started to lift and the sun was shining, foreshadowing the change to come. We had a team talk, discussed tactics and regrouped for our 3rd/4th playoff match against Royal Russell. After a couple of chances just went past the post, we eventually won a short corner which Avery just snuck over the line. 1-0 up with 10 seconds to go, Royal Russell get a short corner and have everyone round the edge of the D. We managed to clear the ball away and finish the morning with a huge win. Well played all!
Swimming
The U9-U11 swim squad embarked on a long journey to WHS, filled with excitement and nervous anticipation. Over the course of the year, the girls have dedicated themselves to training, both in lessons and at clubs, and their progress was evident in this closely contested gala.
With the Year 6s carrying an undefeated record throughout the season, the team was determined to continue their impressive run. WHS proved to be a formidable opponent, but the girls fought hard, displaying resilience and skill in every race. Their remarkable improvement since the last gala did not go unnoticed, with WHS acknowledging their progress and determination.
Throughout the meet, the squad secured numerous victories and second-place finishes, but despite their best efforts, they narrowly missed out on overcoming an exceptional WHS team. The Year 6s, in particular, put up a valiant fight but fell just short by only two points. Regardless of the result, they should be immensely proud of their outstanding performances this season.
As the season nears its end, we now turn our focus to hosting the first-ever Effingham Trust Gala this Thursday. The team looks forward to finishing the season on a high and continuing their fantastic journey in the pool. Well done to all the swimmers for their hard work and dedication
Fixtures (Week Commencing 10th & 17th March)
Tuesday 11th March: U10 Interhouse Netball (H) 2:30pm
Tuesday 11th March: U10 & U11 ESSA Relay practice (A) 4.30pm
Wednesday 12th March: U11A Surrey Netball Tournament 1pm
Friday 14th March: U9 Interhouse Hockey (H) 2.30pm
Friday 14th March U9 & U11 Gymnastics competition @ St Catherine’s. 2.15pm
Friday 14th March U11AB Netball v Cobham Free School (H) 3.45pm
Friday 14th March Afterschool: U11 Netball Training & U9/U10 Hockey training
Saturday 15th March: U10 & U11 ESSA Relays @ Spectrum 6pm start
Tuesday 18th March: U11 Interhouse Hockey (H)
Tuesday 18th March: U10ABCD Hockey v Notre Dame (A) 2.30pm
Tuesday 18th March: U9-U11 Cross Country @ Danes Hill (A) Timings TBC
Friday 21st March: U9 Interhouse Netball (H) 2.30pm
Saturday 22nd Marc h U10 Football Tournament @ Claremont (A) 9-11.30am
As a reminder, SOCS can be accessed through the St Teresa’s Senior Sports page: St Teresa's Effingham | Sports Home
Here you will be able to access fixtures for the day, alongside the Sports Calendar which can provide you with all the sports fixtures weeks and months in advance.
If a team sheet has been published for a particular fixture, the blue ‘person’ symbol will be available to click on. Simply click on the blue symbol next to the fixture to access the team sheet.
Pupil News
If your daughter has completed any sporting achievements outside of school, we would love to hear about them. Please email the Prep PE department with a short description and photo to PrepPE@st-teresas.com.
For any questions related to Prep Sports, please contact the new Prep PE email at PrepPE@st-teresas.com or reach out directly to the specialist teachers.
Bible Reading
A Reading from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ. imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ, loving as he loved you.
Reflection
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, we had our service this week. For many, our first reaction when we hear Lent is to ask, ‘What are you giving up?’ with the usual answer being sweets, chocolate, cake and other treats. This is often the way we introduce the idea to young children, but perhaps, as we grow, our understanding of Lent should also grow.
During Lent we are asked to do three things, to fast, to pray and to give. We were encouraged to reflect with deep honesty ab out three possible areas of our lives where we could focus our hearts and minds this Lent.
By focusing in this way we can make sure that we use this season of Lent to leave behind that which hinders us, and to work towards becoming the people we are called to be. Have a good Lent!
Prayer
Lord,
as we begin this holy season of Lent, may we turn back to you with all our hearts, in prayer, in fasting, and in giving alms to the poor; that our sins be forgiven and our hearts mended.
Amen
Spring is here!
It has been such a wonderful treat to have such stunning weather this week. The ponies have been enjoying basking in the sun and frolicking in the fields.
SummerTerm Riding and Pony Star sessions
We are putting our schedules in place for the Summer Term riding lessons and the Challenge Awards (Pony Stars for younger riders). Even if your child doesn’t ride with us, the Pony Stars is a wonderful and immersive way for the children to spend time with the ponies and understand more about them. We have availability on a Friday at 4pm or Saturday at 2pm. Sessions last an hour. If you are interested please contact the office.
Pony Stars – the Junior Challenge Award (ages 5-11)
The aim of Pony Stars is to encourage students to discover, develop and nurture their love for ponies and the outdoors.
As part of the programme, each student will receive their own ‘My Challenge’ book to log their achievements. As they progress through the various challenges there will be stickers, badges and rosettes available to keep students engaged and motivated. There are four levels which enable long-term progression and a range of activities: *Shetland Striders *Dartmoor Dazzlers *Welshie Wizzers *Connemara Champs In each group, students will work through sets of challenges that make up topics within set themes. At STE, these fun interactive hour-long sessions are delivered in a group setting and are an ideal way for students to make friends and to learn in a group environment.
Easter Holiday Activities
(Monday 31st March to Saturday 19th April)
There are lots of Pony Mornings/Day Camps and Private lessons to choose from over the Easter holidays
Bulk booking discount
If you would like to book a series of three 45-minute or three 30-minute private lessons, we are offering a discount of 10% for the Easter holidays. Please click on the ‘Tokens’ button on the Ecpro homepage to purchase the token. You can then book your three lessons. Please visit st-teresas-equestrian.ecpro.co.uk to see what is available. You don’t need to be a regular termly rider but you just need to register as a user to see the availability and to book.
Booking System: st-teresas-equestrian.ecpro.co.uk
For more information, please visit our website www.st-teresas.com/equestrian
You can also call direct on 01372 750257 or email : equestrian@st-teresas.com Find
The course is suitable for players from Grade 1 up to Grade 6 and is open to children from Year 4 to Year 9.
The programme will include:
String Orchestra
Swing/Jazz Band
Full Orchestra Rehearsals
Sectional Rehearsals
General Musicianship
Recreational Time
Further details can be obtained from: Mrs Caroline Yalden, Director of Music c.yalden@st-teresas.com Mon 14th - Thurs 17th April
Menu—w/c Monday 10th March 2025
Hot lunches include a selection of family favourites and suitable alternatives for children with allergies and intolerances.
Week 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Soup Soup of the day
Soup of the day Soup of the day
Soup of the day Soup of the day
Piri Piri
Freshly
Main
Pasta Bar
Mild Beef Chilli Con Carne served in a taco & dips
Turkey & Bacon Pie
Vegetarian
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Cheesy Pesto Sauce
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bolognaise Sauce
Locally Sourced Oven Baked Pork Sausages with Onion Gravy
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Bacon Carbonara Sauce
Macaroni
Mixed Bean & Quorn Chilli
Sides
Additional
Spicy rice Steamed Sweetcorn
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Cheese with a Crispy Onion Topping
Steamed new Potatoes Broccoli
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked
Bread
Salad bar
Vegan Sausages with Onion Gravy
Mashed Potatoes Panache of Mixed Vegetables
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Chicken with Pitta Bread, Baby Gem and Homemade Sauces
Pasta with Tomato & Basil or Roasted Pepper, Chicken & Chorizo Sauce
Cheesy Vegetable Enchilada
Battered Fish or Breaded
Fish Fillet with Ketchup and Tartare Sauce
Pasta with Tomato & Basil
Feta & Spinach Filo Pie
Potato Wedges
Macho Peas
Rainbow Slaw
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked
Bread
Salad bar
Skinny Chips
Garden Peas
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked
Bread
Salad bar
Dessert
Citrus Drizzle Cake
White Chocolate & Cherry Shortbread
Apple Filo Pie with Custard
Chocolate Brownie
Apple Filo Pie with Custard
Items in Italic - Sourced from F Conisbee’s, our local butcher
